A native of Laplace, Louisiana, Thomas Ricks has 20 years of experience in the security field. His accomplishments include serving as a Task Force Officer with the Gulf Coast Fugitive Task Force with the U.S. Marshals Service and being the full-time security agent for Anthony Davis, a seven-time NBA All-Star who played for the New Orleans Pelicans. Ricks also was a security specialist for NBA All-Stars C.J. McCollum and Damien Lillard. He has received Dignitary Security Services training from the U.S. State Department, which included risk-assessment, emergency driving, and formations. Ricks received a Medal of Valor award for saving a hostage in 2014.
Ricks started as a bouncer in nightclubs in Baton Rouge and served in protection details for multiple music artists in the New Orleans area. He kicked off his law enforcement career in 2012 with the St. John Parish Sheriff’s Office. He was a correctional officer at the St. John Parish Sherman Walker Correctional Facility before enrolling in the accelerated Peace Officer Standard of Training course at Lafourche Parish POST academy. After graduating from the six-week course, Thomas joined the Patrol Division of the St. John Parish Sheriff’s Office.
A year later, Ricks joined the St. John Parish Criminal Investigations Division (CID), where he handled all types of cases, including major crimes. One of his more memorable cases involved a home invasion, kidnapping and armed robbery that appeared to have no evidence. With assistance from nearby jurisdictions and the ATF, Ricks pulled together a case that led to a vehicle, two suspects and a true bill on an indictment with all charges.
As a Task Force Officer, Ricks investigated, located and apprehended some of the most violent criminals. At the St. John Parish Sheriff’s Office, he was promoted to Lieutenant of the Special Operations Division and took on a multi-faceted role as a Task Force Officer and SWAT team leader. In the Special Operations Division, Ricks developed an eight-member Crime Reduction Team (CRT), which focused on street level crime, drugs, guns and fugitive apprehension. Two officers in the unit won awards as a result of their work in CRT.
Thomas Ricks attended Southern University in Baton Rouge, where he was a two-sport athlete (Football and Track and Field) while maintaining a 3.0 GPA. He has a Bachelor’s of Science in Therapeutic Recreation and Leisure Studies and a Master’s in Business Administration and Project Management from Columbia Southern University.